The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present technology.
The bodies of motor vehicles must manage the loads applied both during normal vehicle service and under extraordinary conditions such as a collision. Increasingly, vehicle bodies are constructed using materials such as polymeric or polymer-based composites that offer higher strength-to-weight ratios than the low strength, low carbon steel used in older designs. Polymeric composites in particular have been widely used in automobiles, and their utilization is expected to continue increasing in the future in an effort to further reduce the vehicle mass. Accordingly, the development of an effective repair method for impact damaged composite structures will remain important.
Automobile parts such as panels and bumpers made from polymeric composites are preferably designed to resist damage from low speed collisions, impacts from small stones or objects, and the weight of a leaning person. With higher energy impacts, however, various scuffs, dents, cracks, and other defects or damage can be formed in the panels and bumpers. Given certain part shapes, dimensions, or the assembly technologies, it is sometimes less expensive to replace a component than repair it. In most other circumstances, repairing a damaged component would be desirable. Accordingly, there remains a need for improved repair techniques for polymeric composites.